In the 1990s, when Asma Batliwala first began educating children, she had never imagined that three decades later she would have transformed the lives of thousands of students in underserved communities. The Managing Trustee of The Scholar’s Education Trust, which she founded in 1997, Batliwala set out to challenge rote learning and introduce a more holistic, engaging approach to education.
The NGO manages three schools in Masjid Bandar, Grant Road and Dongri |
“I wanted to rethink education in marginalised communities. I wanted students not just to learn, but to be happy and enjoy studying. I wanted the classroom to be a space children looked forward to entering every day,” she explains. Today, she manages three schools: one at Masjid Bandar and two BMC schools adopted by her trust in Grant Road and Dongri.
Beyond education, the organisation has expanded its focus to empowerment. Over the years, it has educated more than 2,000 underprivileged children, opening doors to new opportunities. The trust also supports women in achieving financial independence, helping them become influential voices within their homes and communities. Its skill-development and training programmes complement the academic initiatives, ensuring long-term empowerment for both students and women.
“The best way to change how students learn is by changing how teachers teach. So we introduced teacher-training courses where educators were trained to teach in a fun, engaging and holistic way. This approach made teaching more inspiring, even for teachers,” she says. Many of her students have gone on to become successful professionals, each story reinforcing her commitment to ensuring that opportunity is not defined by one’s background.
Batliwala also believes learning shouldn’t be confined to classrooms. The trust regularly hosts outdoor activities, festival celebrations and community engagement programmes, offering students experiential learning opportunities. Their annual event, Bachpan Utsav, sees young children performing confidently on stage—a testament to her holistic approach.
Its key focus areas include expanding access to education for children from underserved backgrounds, enabling women to gain professional and practical skills for economic independence, and strengthening infrastructure to build modern, inclusive learning environments that support holistic development. Through these efforts, the organisation aims to nurture talent and leadership that can drive positive transformation within communities.
Ashwin Shah, Director, Jaico Publishing House |
Ashwin Shah, Director, Jaico Publishing House, shares, “Asma has worked tirelessly to empower underserved communities, driving significant social change through her initiatives. She has challenged traditional rote-learning methods and now trains teachers to adopt a more holistic, engaging approach to education.”
